Golf Ball Audit

Linda and I moved into our current residence on North Balboa Drive in Maricopa, AZ in March of 2012. The house sits about 200 yards from the silver tee box on the sixth hole of The Duke Golf Course. Our neighbors to our north get most of the golf ball traffic but we get our share. Linda and I did a quick audit of our collection so far and here is what we found.

In the 22 months since we moved in, we have collected 163 balls. That is 7.4 balls per month which works out to roughly one ball every four days. What I found the most interesting is the distribution of brand names. Here is a quick look.

golf balls

Here is my question. Do errant Titleist balls end up in our yard by far the most because they are the worst balls, or is it as I suspect because they are simply the most popular? Seems nothing, not even shelling out four times the cash for better balls, keeps you in the fairway. Does this albeit anecdotal piece of data give you pause, and cause, to rethink before ponying up for an expensive ball? As for me, I am going to be teeing off soon with one of my new used Titlelists.

Owen

P.S. In the chart above, if we collected five or less of your brand of golf ball, you got lumped as ‘other’ but more than five and you got your own category.

P.S.S. Here is the count by brand:
Titlelist 55
Callaway 23
Pinnacle 10
Nike 14
Top Flight 16
Precept 2
Dixon 2
Srixon 3
Dunlop 4
Noodle 5
Taylormade 5
WIlson 7
Bridgestone 8
(Not worth mentioning as there was only one ball per brand) 9

Jake Johnson's Picture Perfect Course

My wife and I take Pilates a couple times a week. You can picture me doing Pilates, can’t you? Maybe not. Anyway, that is where I first met Jake Johnson. It turns out that behind the laid back, easy going personality, is a successful commercial photographer. Well, well! When I found out he was teaching a series of photography classes, I immediately signed up for the entire series. (Jake and local photographer Dawniele showing the class how it’s done.)

Jake Johnson - Picture Perfect Course

After completing each class, I had to ask myself, why did it take me so long? If you own a camera (that goes double if you own a DSLR) you owe it to yourself to learn how to use it. Whatever level you’re at, there is always more you can learn about exposure, camera settings, lighting, composition, editing; the list goes on. My point? Stop sitting back and letting your camera make all the decisions.

Jake Johnson - Picture Perfect Course

As I become more familiar with my camera, as I understand how to see light and to control it, I become a better photographer. I am not saying I’m all that and a bag of cheese-its, just better.

Jake Johnson - Picture Perfect Course

These pictures are all ones I took randomly over the course of the last class. We all took during being the “model” so if you don’t like the picture it’s the photographer’s fault. If you like it, then it’s totally the model. That’s fair, right? (Pictured is local fashion photog Stella).

Jake Johnson - Picture Perfect Course

Scary bug alert! This guy showed up as we were taking group pictures and supports the quote by Joe McNally, “Don’t pack up your camera until you’ve left the location.”

Jake Johnson - Picture Perfect Course

Happy Friday!